What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I keep going over our budget and can't believe how crazy it is getting! I keep trying to cut things but I can't figure out where I can really save money!!!

Any advice?

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I know EXACTLY how you feel!! I don't really know where to cut either but here's what I've done to save $$$ so far:

I'm not having any church flowers at all, my FMIL will make inexpensive pew bows.

We WERE going to stay at the Garden City Hotel for our wedding night but we are going to stay at a cheaper hotel.

I went with a package deal on my video with my photo people instead of booking the people I REALLY wanted to were going to easily be $1500 more

I skipped all the DJ giveaways, smoke & lights stuff and just a basic DJ & MC package.

I decided against hiring the string trio I wanted for the ceremony and I'll just be getting a harpist instead.

I cut out the raw seafood bar and the viennesse hour. Instead I will have a small raw bar in the bridal suite only (for FH hee hee) and probably do just a viennesse tray or no extra dessert goodies at all.


I'm very interested in hearing some other money saving tips from the rest of the girls!!!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

Check Ebay for great deals - head pieces, veils, favors, personalized candy wrappers, program covers.

Things like programs, menu cards, special place cards can be cut all together.

Use seasonal flowers in your bouquet & centerpiece - they are more abundent therefore less expensive.

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I'm having seasonal flowers. That helped cut costs a lot. Also no video (didn't want one anyway).

Good luck!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

not enough......

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

Bridal bargins is a great book, I just got it, and I cant put it down. Its work the $15 at Borders. It tells you where to get cheaper wedding dresses, ribbon for favors that is dirt cheap, great HM's, etc...good luck!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I'm not doing alot of things like:

Unity candle
Programs
cake cutting knives
rehearsal dinner invites

I think there is more but thats all I can think of right now.

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I'm going through the same thing. this is very good advice, thanks! i LOVE the idea of having the raw bar in the bridal suite. FH and I wanted to have it during the CH but it was just too expensive. This is a great way to work it in!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

• We're making our own programs and ordering our invites from a catalog.
• Since the ceremony and reception are at the same place, we skipped limos.
• We're not having the raw bar or vienese.
• We picked inexpensive favors, though they can be skipped all together.
• We're going on an inexpensive honeymoon, so we can save money to use on our house
• We're having the RD at our house, so the rest of the money that was budgeted for that we can now use for something else.
• All of the CP will be made of seasonal flowers

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

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Posted by nferrandi

• We're making our own programs and ordering our invites from a catalog.
• Since the ceremony and reception are at the same place, we skipped limos.
• We're not having the raw bar or vienese.
• We picked inexpensive favors, though they can be skipped all together.
• We're going on an inexpensive honeymoon, so we can save money to use on our house
• We're having the RD at our house, so the rest of the money that was budgeted for that we can now use for something else.
• All of the CP will be made of seasonal flowers

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That's really good! I am very impressed. I was definitely think of having my RD at my house rather than going to a restaurant. Maybe a nice outdoor BBQ depending on the weather.

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

I didn't go crazy on limos...I just got basic ones. Also, I just got roses for my bouquet and centerpieces rather than mixed flowers and it came out cheaper. I got my invitations online and saved a great deal on them.

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

1. favors.
2. church programs
3. unity candle

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

we aren't having limos and our place includes seasonal flower centerpieces

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

eeeeeek, I'm doing almost everything you guys are doing and I'm still having issues!

I just posted a budget poll...please take it!

Thanks!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

We used silk flowers for the bouquets, corsages, boutenaires and alter pieces. (you can't even tell in the pictures) We used the centerpieces the reception hall provided.

We splurged on the pictures, video and music.

You just need to priortize what's most inportant to you.

Good luck,
Donna
10/5/03

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

Well I found that by making alot of things myself I was able to do them cheaper. I made so far
-invitations
-gift box for cards
-ringbearer pillow
-had a friend jazz up my shoes abit
I am eventually going to make the programs and menus. Also like some else had said I got so much stuff on Ebay, like my cake knife set was 1.99 plus shipping. I have gotten so much stuff there for super cheap.
But then where I save money I find myself spending alot on others, like the Hummer limo we had to have. Way over the limo budget with that one!!

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

-DJ instead of a band
-got cheaper invites than I originally wanted
-printed my own addresses for the invites
-my grandmother made our $$ bag and ringbearer pillow
-cheaper video package

Unfortunately, I am really splurging on some other things that really counteract my $$ saving items, such as:
my dress
honeymoon
bridal party gifts

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

i think the only thing we will get minimum... is the invitations
people throw them out anyway
i just want simple and elegant

Once i booked my hall... it was the end
there was no cutting back haha

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

The only thing so far is addressing my invites. Wow big deal right?

Re: What are you cutting out of your wedding to save money?

we are doing a donation as opposed to favors. No one needs to know how much you are donating and every little bit of money that goes to a charity helps! We are also going to use seasonal flowers. We are using a cheapo untiy candle and ourt church provides flowers. We also know someone that does invitations.